An Evening of Poetry - Poetry Reading Open Mic Event

Everyone is welcome to join us in celebration of National Poetry Month for an evening of poetry reading, both originals and old favorites.

This will be a free-flowing event where anyone may step up to read whenever they feel moved to. No judgment and no pressure.

We will not monitor content, but the event is open to all ages so please be aware of the audience.

Listeners are welcome. Come and go as you please.

Friday, April 14, 5-8PM. This event will be held at The Creative Cup, 239 Main Street, Ridgway.

Learn more about National Poetry Month: poets.org/national-poetry-month
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Earth Day Kokedama Class

Kokedama is a form of Japanese garden art that is centuries old.

In this class participants will learn about the history of Kokedama and create their very own living moss ball planter!

Saturday, April 22, 10AM - Noon.

Cost is $40 per person. All materials included. Plant choices will vary. Ages 10+. Instructed by ECCOTA staff.

Pre-registration is required: https://form.jotform.com/ECCOTA/eccota-class-registration-form

Poetry Out Loud Winner Announced

The Elk County Council on the Arts is proud to announce the winners of the regional contest of Poetry Out Loud. The student winners are Caitlin Blessel from St. Marys High School with Sean McKean of Oswayo Valley High School as the runner up.

Poetry Out Loud - presented in partnership with Elk County Council on the Arts (ECCOTA), the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and Poetry Foundation - is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud.

Runner-up Sean McKean (left), and winner Caitlin Blessel (right).

 On Thursday February 23, six high school students from the region participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest at the Harriett B. Wick Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Each student recited three works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy.

 The National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation have created free, standards-based curriculum materials to support Poetry Out Loud including a teacher’s guide, lesson plans, an online anthology, posters, and video and audio on the art of recitation. These resources are available for free at PoetryOutLoud.org.

 Ms. Blessel will advance to the state Poetry Out Loud contest, with a winner being announced on March 13, 2023. The Pennsylvania state champion will receive $200 and will advance to the national finals next spring where $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be distributed. The representing school or organization of the state champion will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. The first runner-up in each state will receive $100, with $200 for their school or organization.

 The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud contest, contact Cameron Howard at ECCOTA or visit PoetryOutLoud.org.

 The Elk County Council on the Arts is a 501( c ) non-profit organization founded in 1984 as a center for the development of arts and culture in Elk County. ECCOTA provides a variety of opportunities to participate in the arts for the area’s residents. Classes and workshops for adults and children are offered including an annual summer youth theater camp. New programs and exhibits are held regularly.

Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition to be held at Pitt Bradford

The Elk County Council on the Arts would like to cordially invite the public to this year’s regional Poetry Out Loud competition taking place February 23, 2023 at 6:00 pm at the Harriett B. Wick Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Elk County Council on the Arts, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Students from Saint Marys Area High School, Elk County Catholic High School, and Oswayo Valley High School will gather to compete and recite the poems they have selected for a panel of esteemed judges. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.1 million students and 68,000 teachers from 17,000 schools and organizations across the nation have participated in the program. Poetry Out Loud begins at the local level with a school or organization. Winners advance to a regional-wide competition, then to the state competitions in February and March, and then to the national finals in the spring. Arts education programs like Poetry Out Loud matter. National Endowment for the Arts research tells us that children who have arts opportunities in and out of school are much more likely to become adults who participate in the arts. Students who participate in Poetry Out Loud also showed an increase in self-confidence and found that reading and listening to poetry helped them think about situations from multiple perspectives. Supporting these endeavors is important for our community. If anyone has any further questions or if you’re a teacher hoping to get involved next year, please contact the Elk County Council on the Arts at (814) 772-7051.

Funding Creativity Night

We are so much more than a sales gallery!

Join us for the Funding Creativity event and learn about the grant funding and programming opportunities that ECCOTA offers.

Who should attend?

• Artists, visual and performing, who want to take their career further and engage more in their community.

• Community and arts organizations, park programs, senior centers, teachers, etc.

• Creative entrepreneurs who are starting or expanding a business.

• Anyone who wants to learn more about what we offer!

Everyone is invited to gather on Thursday, February 16 for Funding Creativity, an event hosted by the Elk County Council on the Arts, at the PA Wilds Media Lab located on the second floor above Laughing Owl Press in Kane, Pennsylvania.

Funding Creativity will be a showcase of the programs and opportunities for local artists through ECCOTA’s partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The Elk County Council on the Arts is one of 14 partner organizations with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, servicing Elk, McKean, Potter, Cameron, and Forest Counties. Artists from those counties are encouraged to attend the event.

Funding Creativity will be a chance for interested artists to get together and learn about granting and residency opportunities through ECCOTA. As well as a networking opportunity for artists, rostered teaching artists, and grant recipients will be in attendance to answer questions and engage in discussion with attendees and give testimony to their success with these programs. Funding Creativity is also in partnership with the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship and the Wilds Cooperative of PA, who will also be in attendance.

The PA Wilds Media Lab is located at 61 North Fraley St, Second Floor, in Kane, Pennsylvania. Join ECCOTA from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Refreshments from Table 105 will be provided.

Any questions regarding the Funding Creativity event or the grant and programming opportunities can be directed to ECCOTA at (814) 772-7051, or info@eccota.com.

Learn more about:

Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
ECCOTA - Arts in Education Program, for host sites and artists
ECCOTA - Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program
ECCOTA - Creative Sector Flex Fund